Garmin 160 fishfinder w/speed sensor mounting?

[kdnichols]

Last weekend, somebody gave me a Garmin 160 fishfinder with speed sensor.

Has anybody mounted one of these?

Where's the best place to mount the transducer?

I'm aware I can do a "through-the-hull" mounting of the fishfinder part, but what about the speed sensor? Where does one put that?

Kevin

 

[Joe11688]

Last weekend, somebody gave me a Garmin 160 fishfinder with speed sensor.

Has anybody mounted one of these?

Where's the best place to mount the transducer?

I'm aware I can do a "through-the-hull" mounting of the fishfinder part, but what about the speed sensor? Where does one put that?

Kevin

Kevin,
My friend Wayne mounted the speed sensor on the rudder of his Seaward 22. He mounted a short track for it with an adjustable car, so that he can raise it out of the water when he's not using his boat. This insures that the sensor doesn't get any marine growth. I don't have a picture of it right now, but I can get you one in a couple of days. I picked up the track for him at a marine consignment store in Newport Rhode Island a couple of months ago for about $6.00.
Joe

 

[kdnichols]

I have an Ida Sailor kickup rudder.

I guess I could attach it to that?

K

 

[ebartlett]

the depth and speed sensor is best mounted as close to the center line of the boat as possible in front of the keel the less the water is disturbed by the bottom of the boat the more accurate read you will get plus it is nice to know the depth of the water before the deepest part of your boat. (much more important on larger boats with deeper keels)

 

[Joe11688]

Normally, you would attach it to the transom and let it hang down. The only problem is when you go to trailer the boat, it may get broken. You could attach it to a track on the transom and pull it up when the boat is not being used. Wayne can take his right off the track. I'll take a picture of it tomorrow if it's a good day. I usually sail on Tuesdays and Thursdays and that's when he's down the club. His rudder isn't a tip up. You may be better off putting it on a track on the stern and have it so that nothing hangs down when it's completely up. What I would do is mock up something out of wood that you can attach temporally to your boat and experiment with it first. You don't want to go drilling holes in your boat now, and find out later that it doesn't work that well in that spot. Experiment with it, then figure out how to attach it later. He had his permanently attached to his rudder and it was always collecting marine growth which was impeding the readings.
Joe

 

[kdnichols]

I'm assuming straight down the middle of the transom is best?

I don't think I want to put it on the hull in front of the keel. The lake where it's moored generates a lot of marine growth. The tip of my 6Hp Tohatsu gets gunked up after only 1 week in the water.

I'm going sailing this weekend and will take a look at options. BTW, I still haven't installed my STS1000 autopilot. I have a hard time making holes in the boat!

Kevin

 

[Joe11688]

the depth and speed sensor is best mounted as close to the center line of the boat as possible in front of the keel the less the water is disturbed by the bottom of the boat the more accurate read you will get plus it is nice to know the depth of the water before the deepest part of your boat. (much more important on larger boats with deeper keels)

I agree with you on the depth transducer, but the speed sensor is altogether different in that, it's a mechanical type of gadget with a propeller, and it can break very easy depending on where you install it. This is my observation based on the one that Wayne has installed on his boat. I don't have one on my boat but the fathometer would come it handy if I had to choose between them.
Joe

 

[ebartlett]

Either way should work marine growth is a big problem with the speed sensor paddle wheel most transducers will have a blank insert for when the boat isn't in use. here is a picture of examples the speed may be in the center of the blue depth transducer or stand alone like you can see here. Even while the boat is on the water the center where the wheel is located will come out for cleaning or to put the cap insert in. In Florida that paddle wheel will foul in less than a week

 

[Joe11688]

That one seems to be quite a bit different than the one that Wayne has on his boat.
Kevin,
Is yours like this? Do you have a picture of it?

 

[kdnichols]

Mine looks different. It looks more like a "mini-transducer" you normally associate with a fishfinder and it has a small rotating wheel.

K

 

[ebartlett]

does it look some thing like this?

the only place this can mount is on the transom of the boat in this case trinkka is right you will have to rig some thing to get it down into the water from the transom without interfering with the rudder this style is better suited for use on a motor boat because of the hull shape but with the right rig there is no reason why you can't make this work.
check out the different transducers here http://www.jmsonline.net/GARMIN-FISHFINDER-160C-W-TM-.htm
to get an idea of the different styles and mounting ideas. good luck

 

[Joe11688]

Last weekend, somebody gave me a Garmin 160 fishfinder with speed sensor.

Has anybody mounted one of these?

Where's the best place to mount the transducer?

I'm aware I can do a "through-the-hull" mounting of the fishfinder part, but what about the speed sensor? Where does one put that?

Kevin

Kevin,
Here's some pics of Wayne's Mickey Mouse track and car for his speed sensor. He can raise it, lower it, or take it right off the track. I don't think that they make speed sensosr this large anymore. I brought a friend with me on the boat today and the lucky son of a gun caught a 32" Striped Bass. Actually, I caught it and handed him the pole and let him bring it in. I told him, "here, you bring him in, it's probably a Blue Fish." Boy was I surprised when he got him to the surface.
Joe

 

[kdnichols]

Wow...that's a big speed sensor AND a big fish. Mine fits in the palm of your hand.

I'm going to sail tomorrow...and I'll look at some options. I'm just not super hyped about making holes in the boat....one reason I haven't installed my autopilot yet.

K

 

[Joe11688]

Wow...that's a big speed sensor AND a big fish. Mine fits in the palm of your hand.

I'm going to sail tomorrow...and I'll look at some options. I'm just not super hyped about making holes in the boat....one reason I haven't installed my autopilot yet.

K

Like I said Kevin, they probably don't make sensors like that one anymore. I don't mind drilling holes in my boat as long as I only have to drill them once, and getting it right the first time is what I strive for. I filleted that fish when we got back to the club and we split the fillets between the both of us. I'm going to cook mine up this afternoon.
Joe

 

[Joe11688]

Wow...that's a big speed sensor AND a big fish. Mine fits in the palm of your hand.

I'm going to sail tomorrow...and I'll look at some options. I'm just not super hyped about making holes in the boat....one reason I haven't installed my autopilot yet.

K

Kevin,
Here are some better pics that my friend Norman took with his camera. You could mount a track on your stern and have the sensor so that it hangs lower on the car. This way, the track doesn't have to hang down below the transom, just the extension with the sensor when it in use. You can raise it when it's not in use.
Joe